Bennett, 20, is currently facing one charge of assault resulting in serious bodily injury to a child under 16, according to records in the U.S. district Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in Bay City.

Crime scene technicians and FBI agents found Carnel's body under a porch at his mother's home on East Tomah Road in Chippewa Township Thursday.

The criminal complaint against Bennett indicates that Bennett assaulted Carnel, 4, on more than one occasion between late May and early June, according to court records.

Jaimee Chamberlain, Carnel's mother, told FBI agents that in late May or early June, she saw Carnel on his bed with a "bruised and swollen face" and a cut inside his lip after she returned home from work when the boy was in Bennett's care.

A few days later, according to court records, she saw a six to eight inch long bruise on Carnel's rib cage, and Bennett told her he had "backhanded" the boy, according to court records.

Carnel then told his mother that Bennett punched him, according to the criminal complaint.

A few days later,Jaimee told agents, she saw Bennett pick her son up by the neck and drop him, then pull him by his right foot from her bedroom to her son's, and that Carnel's buttocks were bruised from the alleged assault.

United States Magistrate Judge Charles E. Binder ruled that there was probable cause to charge Bennett with abusing Carnel, according to court records.

While Bennett is not charged with murdering Carnel, who was reported missing June 21, that is likely a preliminary charge to keep him in custody until he can be indicted on more serious charges.

State police crime lab technicians and FBI officials were at the Tomah Road home for several hours Thursday gathering evidence, along with a state police dog handler.

As they scoured the property for evidence, a vigil that was planned before Carnel's body was found went on as scheduled in the parking lot at the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Operations center at Leaton and Broadway roads.

There, family spokesman Kevin Chamberlain, who is Jaimee's cousin, thanked the community for its support and prayers.

Tribal Chief Dennis Kequom addressed the crowd gathered at the event, as did several ministers.

Tribal spokesman Frank Cloutier said in a statement Friday that Kequom and members of the Tribal Council are expressing their most sincere and heart felt condolences to the Chamberlain-Farncis family.

"This is something that has affected every one of us throughout the community and together we can support and help the family through this very trying time," Kequom said.